1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging devices and, in particular, to an imaging device capable of obtaining a plurality of images with different characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of imaging devices, a technique has been known in which a plurality of images with different characteristics are obtained by imaging a plurality of times with varied imaging conditions or using lens systems having a plurality of characteristics and the obtained images are processed according to the purpose (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-271429; PTL 1 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-184844; PTL 2). In the imaging device described in PTL 1, taking lens systems for far distance and near distance are configured of a plurality of semicircular lenses, and a far distance image and a near distance image are obtained each from a half of each image pickup element. Also, in the imaging device described in PTL 2, an optical member is arranged between a test object and an image plane. By rotating the optical member about an optical axis or moving the optical member in an optical axis direction or by cutting one lens into semicircular portions and arranging these portions with their positions in the optical axis direction being shifted, images of a plurality of test objects spaced apart from each other in the optical axis direction are formed on the same image plane.